Improvement in sewing-machines



FITTS 6L WHIPPLE'.

Sewing Machine.

Patented Aug. A24, 1858.

N. Plains, Pnmnnhwnpher, wnmngmn. n. c,

UNITED STATES l PATENT OFFICE.

R. B. FITTS AND MILTON D. VHIPPLE, OF OLIARLESTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS.

`IIVIPROVEIVIENT IN SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 21,250, dated August2li, 185B.

To @ZZ whom it may concern..-

Be it known that we, R. B. FITTs and MIL TON D. WHTPPLE, both ofCharlestown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip tion, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, making part of thisspecification, in

Figure l is avertical section and elevation; Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5,details to be referred to hereinafter.

The first part of our invention" has for its object more perfectly tosteady and guide the cloth in its passage through the machine, and t0prevent it from moving frivolously as the sewing proceeds; and itconsists in the use of an angular guide upon the table immediatelybeneath the pressure-foot, which lies in the direction in which thecloth is fed, and causes it to advance in a straight line except when itis guided or turned by the hand of the operator. This guide, which wehave called a keel-guide,77 from the nature of its opera-` tion, is seenat a, Fig. l, and also in Fig. 2.

The needle which-we employ, in lieu of being conned, as usual,inavibrating needle-bar,- is secured directly to the pitman which actuatesit, and runs in guides upon the frame, whereby this portion of themechanism is much simplified, and the needle may instantly be adjustednot only with its eye at the proper distance from the table, but also inthe required plane with respect to the hook.

C, Figs. l and 3, is the needle, which is provided with a cylindricalshank that slides freely in the guides D E. The pitman F carries awrist, c, at its lower extremity, which is perforated withtwo holes-oneto receive the needle, and the other at right angles thereto to receivea pin, f, which holds the needle in place. the proper distance from thetable, with its eye in the required plane with respect to the hook, anotch, d, is filed in the shank of the needle,

. into which enters the pin f, and thus without thecare and attentionheretofore required for the purpose the needle may be instantly adjustedin position, even by an inexperienced hand. To avoid the possibility oferror upon this point, the hole for the reception of the pin f is soarranged that it will not receive this pin when the notch in the needleis not in position to receive it.

That the needle may always be atf Gis the hook, which vibrates round apivot, g, and is actuated by suitable connections with themain'driving-cam, which need not our present invention. From the samecam (not seen upon the drawings) motion is communicated to the feed,which operates asfollows: A vertical rod actuated by the cam isconnected at its lower extremity to the horizontal rod Hfa't Z', theother end of the latter rod being jointed to the bent lever I, Fig. 4,which in turn gives motion to a bar, K. The feeding-iinger h is attachedto and makes part of a bent lever, Z, which is pivoted to a sliding bar,m, the spring a serving to keep this bar pressed up against the underside of the table, by which means this bar is held steadily andprevented from vibrating. One end of the lever K is pivoted to the leverZ, and from the former rises a post, o, directly beneath thefeeding-finger. i

The operation of the parts is asfollows: As the bar K is moved in thedirection of its arrow, Figs. 4 `and 5, the feeding-finger is firstdrawn down (by the pivoting of the lever Z) until it strikes against thepost 0. As the bar K continues in the same direction, the plate m slidesback, and when the bar K moves in the opposite direction it iirst raisesthe feeding finger into contact with the-cloth, and then moves itasufficient distance to give the feed.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

l. The keeleguide a beneath the pressure` foot, operating as setforth,for the purpose specified.

2. Causing the shank of the needle to play vertically in guides andconnecting the pitm an directly thereto, as described.

`3. Securing the needle in place by means of the pin f whenits shank isprovided with a notch to insure its proper position with respect to thehook andthe table, :as set forth.

4. The peculiar arrangement of the bar K ing plate m, and spring n,operating as and for the purposes herein set forth.

R. B. Frrrs. MILTON n. wHrrrLE.

Witnesses:

l?. E. TEscHEMAcHER, THos. R. Rosen.

be further explained, as they form no part of and its post o with thebent lever Z, and slid-

